The Flower Grows
by Ggal
Summary: Sequal to 'The Flower's Story'. Lily and James and the rest of the gang face their unknown future outside of Hogwarts. Written pre OotP.
1. New beginnings, yet your so far away

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The Flower Grows chp1

Sequal to The Flower's story

"Tolerance is another word for indifference." 

-Maugham, W. Somerset

Lines. Long, long, long, lines winding all the way down the corridor and out the door. How could such a simple chore be taking two hours to accomplish? All she needed to do was renew their fires to the floo powder network, and then sign up for apparition classes, why was this taking so long?

Lily Evans was a soon to be 18 year old witch, freshly graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She had flaming red wavy hair that grew down to just below her shoulders. Her skin was a creamy light color that was splashed with freckled across her body. She was short for her age, only 5' 3". But her figure fit her age; she was slender with all the right curves. But the feature that usually drew the people in was the large almond shaped emerald green eyes. They held all her secrets and emotions, and right at that moment if you were to look into them. The main emotion you would see was frustration.

"Next!" the women at the desk called out. Lily breathed a sigh of relief

"Finally" she muttered to herself, sitting down in front of the woman.

"Last name please."

James had told her to just say Potter, it wouldn't be half as confusing for all the old legal papers claimed his house to be the 'Potter' residence.

"Potter" the woman gave Lily the once over and turned back to the form she was filling out.

"Potter?" she repeated. Lily nodded. "I never knew the Potters had a young girl."

"They don't." Lily didn't feel the need to go into all the details. She wasn't here to fill this woman's need for gossip; she had plenty of things to accomplish that day.

"Oh, I see. Preferred name of 'Floo call'?"

"The lion's residence." 

At this the woman looked up at Lily again with narrowed eyes. She put down her quill and took off her glasses, staring Lily down.

"Is there a problem?" Lily asked

"How long have you been in residence of the Potter house?"

"I didn't think that was relevant of renewing our floo-network." Lily stared hard back at the woman. Where was she taking this?

"Ms. Excuse my candor but I was an old friend of the potter's, and the only living member of that esteemed family is their young son-"

"James Potter." Lily interrupted. What was this woman accusing her of? Stealing the Potter account of Floo Powder? How could that possibly make sense?

"I'm sorry Ms…"

"Adams." The woman replied curtly

"Ms. Adams, I'm in a huge rush for I have plenty of things to do today. I have just waited on this ridiculously large line to re-register my boyfriend's, James Potter's, floo-network and I am in no mood to be accused of steeling the account of the house in which I live. So If You Please Ms. Adams." She took a deep breath as she felt her temper rising "If you please, continue with the form so I can get out of here."

The woman was slightly taken back by this small girls conviction and ferocity, but she complied by quickly slipping her glasses back on and picking up the quill again.

"So, you wish for the lion's residence as your floo-call, correct?"

Lily nodded smugly as she watched the woman fumble with her quill.

"And how many Wizards and witch's are in residence of the Potter house?" seeing the exasperated look on Lily's face she quickly started up again "It's what it says on the application Ms., I promise."

Lily rolled her eyes and nodded in compliance "Two wizards, and one Witch"

"Names, please?"

"James Potter, Remus Lupin, and Lily Evans. Are we finished yet?"

The woman nodded and flashed a fake smile. "Yes your floo-network should be up and running in about a day or so. Thank you."

Lily stood up, gave the woman a nod, and walked swiftly past the ever-growing line down the corridor. It seemed that ever since Hogwarts she's had to take shit like this from people whenever she mentioned she lived in the ever-esteemed Potter residence. 

Lily pulled her hair out of her face and turned a right into the next corridor. She had been in the ministry numerous times over the past three months, applying for jobs, filling out forms. It was just everything that came with getting top NEWT marks and being Head Girl of Hogwarts. She thanked Gryffindor that there was no line to sign up for apparition classes and tests. She paid the fee and took three applications. One for herself, for Remus, and one for James.

Remus Lupin had been Lily's friends ever since they were small children. Remus had saved Lily from receiving a bite from a werewolf, yet in turn received it himself. Now once a month, every full moon he turned into a wild beast. Remus was a fairly tall, slightly muscular young man. He had early grayed, sandy blonde hair a slightly tanned complexion and mysterious grey eyes. 

James Potter and Lily had known each other since they're odd meeting on the Hogwart's Express of first year. He was a mischievous spirit that could light a room with even the hint of a smile. He was a tall 6-foot man with playful messy black hair. The playing of his favorite sport, Quiditch, had fine-tuned his body into tight muscles. And those beautiful chocolate brown eyes just drew you in. They were the first things Lily had noticed on James. Not his cocky attitude or his confidence filled demeanor, but those large brown eyes. Lily had been dating James for a few years now. They were even living with each other, along with Remus. But those circumstances were not planned.

Remus' parents were currently in a state of catatonically. The Dark Lord Voldemort, an evil Wizard who currently wished for the extinction of all muggles and muggle-born wizards, had attacked their house. Remus had fortunately been in werewolf transformation, and escaped the attack. After that he had always lived with Lily and her Parents. Yet another unfortunate event took place a few years later. Lily's family had been destroyed by voldemort; he had been looking for her. But she and her older sister Petunia escaped and took refuge at a neighbor's house. James offered his house to Remus and Lily all too happily. And that was how they ended up in that situation.

Being that all the Floo-networks was down, and she didn't yet know how to apparate she had to wait for a bus to get home. James was at work, finally getting a good steady job at the ministry. Remus was currently ill and in bed at home, last night was a full moon. The bus was cramped and uncomfortable, she hadn't ridden one of these for years. She looked over the people sitting on the bus. There was a middle-aged man reading the London 

Times. A group of teenagers laughing and snickering at passing faces on the street. Then Lily's eyes glanced towards an old man and woman holding hands and talking with each other.

She sighed and smiled as they glanced her way. They gave a short nod, which she returned, and then turned back to their conversation. That was what Lily wanted with James. To grow old and have a family with someone she cared for. She often caught herself having these odd sentiments, ever since James had unofficially proposed to her. She didn't truly know if he had been completely serious at the time. Being that they had just made up after a huge fight, and he hadn't given her a ring. There was definitely no one else in the world she would rather spend her life with, and he had made his feelings for her quite apparent on many occasions. Eventually they would get married, and have the most wonderful life together, hopefully.

*~*~*~*

"Remus! Remus I'm home!" Lily called as she shrugged her sweater jacket off and threw her purse on the kitchen table.

"Hey love, how was it?" Lily turned around to see James leaning on the couch, with his arms crossed, bearing that mischievous grin that sent shivers down Lily's spine.

"What are you doing home so early?" She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his muscular body, burying her head in his chest and breathing in the sweet cologne he always wore.

James placed his hands in her hair and smoothed it out, bending over to giver her a few kisses on the head. He knew he should have just gone to re-register the floo-network himself, but he didn't feel like dealing with the hassle. So he was selfish, made up an excuse of why he couldn't go and sent Lily to do it for him.

"Well, they had plenty of workers on this case so they sent the amateur home early so he wouldn't get in the way." She looked up at him and grinned happy that she wouldn't have to eat alone tonight again, as Remus wasn't very good company as a werewolf.

"James I thought you wanted to be an auror not an errand boy." James rolled his eyes at her and pulled away running his hand through his hair. He sighed as he collapsed onto the sofa.

"Lils, to become an auror I would have to go to a camp for almost a year with almost no holidays. Is that what you want?"

"James what I want doesn't matter when it comes to your future. You have always said to me how much you want to be like your father and become an auror; this is your chance James. You can't waist it on useless paperwork! Sirius and Tasha have already signed up for the upcoming training season, if you don't sign up now…" Lily bent down in front of him and took his hands "You never will."

He looked at her silently, contemplating the words she always seemed to pound in his head. "Lil, if it doesn't bother you-"

"Of course it doesn't! Besides I've been offered a very high position in the charms department of the ministry."

"That's great Lil-"

"I'm not going to take it." He frowned at her

"Why not? You've always loved charms, and you'd be really happy there."

"I've decided I don't want to work in the ministry. I want to work in St. Mungo's, to be a healer and help people. I'd working in a special office that aided wounded aurors or their missions." She replied quietly

"Their missions?"

"You know. People they've rescued from the death eaters. So I want you to go right this moment and sign up for the auror camp, as I reply to a woman who wished to interview me for the healing job. And then I'll make dinner and we can have a nice quiet evening together." 

James grinned at her. She had always been so understanding when it came to his wants and needs, even though sometimes she could disagree quite often. She usually understood. 

"James?" She had crept up onto the sofa next to him and was running her hands through his soft hair. "What's the matter?" he took her hand and kissed it gently, taking in the feel of her smooth hands on his skin.

"Nothing's the matter, well. There is one thing…"

"What is it?" worry clouded her eyes. He didn't seem like anything was wrong when she came home.

"Well, it's only that…my lips haven't touched yours since this morning…" He took in the smile that was now forming on her face, and leaned forward with slow movement. He stopped moving once he could feel her warm breath on his lips. He was waiting, testing her, and seeing if she could withstand him or if she would break and cover the distance between them.

She broke.

Lily grabbed his face in her hands and pulled him on top of her, tasting him, touching him. She could never get enough of James and if she ever reached the point where she did get enough, she would take more anyway. James traced his tongue along her bottom lip, begging for entrance to her sweat mouth. She complied without hesitation, nibbling on his lip delving her tongue into his mouth. Her hands were now somewhere under his shirt and her legs were securely wrapped around his waist, making sure he couldn't escape from her. He made sure he was pressed against her hard enough so she could feel what she was doing to him.

"You know." James breathed hard into her neck "Maybe I could sign up for the auror thing tomorrow morning. It wouldn't hurt to wait one more day would it?" He looked in her eyes and saw that her decision was absolute on the matter.

"James." She slid out from underneath him and walked away from the sofa grabbing his cloak and throwing it to him "The sooner you get this over with, the sooner we can continue…" He chuckled at her playfulness. 

"All right All right but-" His eyes caught sight of something behind him.

"What? What is it?" Lily turned around and saw that he was just staring at the calendar.

"Lily, it's your birthday today!" he looked at her confused. She turned around and eyed the calendar.

"So it is. I could've sworn that it was tomorrow not today…just goes to show how bloody busy we've been, right?" she went to grin at him but saw that he had a strange look in his eye. "What are you thinking?"

"Well, your eighteen, correct?" she nodded. "OK I'm going to go the office and sign up for training, you are going to wake up Remus and get Molly and Arthur over here. I'll take care of Sirius and Tasha." He went to retrieve his broom.

"James I told you I don't want a large party."

"But Lily, your eighteen…"

"So? Why is that so special?" but he didn't answer. He just gave her a kiss and a wink and was out the door flying away on his broom.

She sighed as his silhouette faded into the setting sun. She was happy that James was going to do what he wanted. Truth is told: she didn't want him going at all. She didn't want him becoming an auror. She hadn't wanted any of her friends to become aurors, but once their minds are set there's no turning back. For any of them.

"Remus." Lily whispered as she slowly opened his door. He was awake, sitting on his bed and reading the daily prophet with a frown. He looked up and smiled at her.

"Hello birthday girl!" he patted the bed for her to sit next to him. She complied gratefully, lying down next to him with a smirk.

"James wants everyone to come downstairs and meet him in the sitting room. I told him I didn't want a party but he kept insisting. You know I forgot it was my birthday today…"

Remus rolled his eyes as a bright red owl swooped in through the window and dropped a letter in front of her. 

"Hey J.J., what's this?" Lily took the letter from James Jr. and opened it carefully. There was something very heavy and squishy inside and she didn't exactly feel like getting cursed today.

"Lil, what the bloody hell does J.J. stand for?"

"That's for me to know and you not to, darling. Hey it's from Arthur and Molly." A light shone form within the envelope as a soft mist escaped. Words seemed to form in a wisp of purple air in front of them:

****

Dear, Lillian Evans, James Potter, and Remus Lupin,

You are cordially invited to

The wedding of:

Molly Turnipe and Arthur Weasley

On the 15th of September

At 5:00pm

R.S.V.P. A.S.A.P.

Location T.B.A.

We hope you shall be able to enjoy us on this special day!

The wisp of smoke disappeared in a flash of light back into the envelope. Remus read the smoke as Lily had been reading a letter she found in the purple envelope.

"Great Wizards Remus!" she shrieked jumping up and down on the bed.

"What? What's wrong? Lily stop jumping your going to break my bloody bed. What does the letter say?" she stopped jumping and shoved the letter into Remus' face.

"She's pregnant! That's why the wedding is next month. Oh lord, this is fantastic!" Remus snickered

"No way is she coming with us tonight, that's for sure."

"Why? I don't understand what's so special about turning eighteen…James laughed at me when I asked him about it. It's pissing me off." Remus snickered again

"Lil, what's legal when you turn eighteen…" she shrugged throwing the letter onto his bedside table and heading towards the door.

"I don't know Remus." Lily exclaimed exasperated. Remus caught up with her as she started to head down the stairs and wait for James to return home.

"Lily, you can't honestly tell me that you have no desire to-"

"Why is this relevant to my turning eighteen hmm?" 

"Because my wittle wiwwykins!" Lily shrieked as a muscular tall man picked her up off the stairs and twirled her around.

"Sirius put me down!" he set her on the couch gently and handed her a nicely wrapped bag.

Sirius was James and Remus' best friend. Together the three formed the infamous Hogwarts marauders. Causing trouble at every free interval throughout the seven years they had spent within the Hogwarts walls. Sirius was definitely the most mischievous out of all three men. He was a strapping 6' 3" with shoulder length black hair and deep blue eyes. 

Lily was now eyeing the package doubtfully.

"Lily just open it, it's not poison."

"Not completely…" Sirius snickered

"Shut up Sirius." Tasha Harris smacked her boyfriends arm, and went to sit next to Lily. Tasha had been Lily's best girlfriend since first year in Hogwarts, along with Molly. She was the perfect match for sirius, equally loud and rambunctious as he. She also had midnight black curly hair the fell to the middle of her back. Her skin was a warm mocha color. And her eyes had the same evil grin in them as Sirius'. Except they were brown.

Lily grinned at Tasha and stuck her hand into the parcel. She felt some sort of heavy glass bottle within the shimmery bag. Giving Sirius one last wary glance she pulled the bottle out and closed her eyes waiting for the explosion.

"Oh stop being such a prat! It's just champagne." Remus took the bottle from lily's hand and walked into the kitchen

"Half a moment!" Lily stood up facing Tasha and Sirius who were now grinning like mad at Lily "Everybody's big plan for my eighteenth birthday was to get me drunk? Is that it?"

They nodded meekly.

"You've all gone bonkers." Tasha groaned at Lily's resistance

"Oh come on Lil, it's just a few drinks…please? For me?" she gave her her best pouty face.

"Fine just one. But I shall never drink _any_ of Sirius's concoctions. James has woken up with many a head ache after a night with you sir and I will not have it!"

Sirius bowed in compliance.

"Whatever the lady wishes."

Lily was about to go and fetch a glass from Remus when she felt two strong-arms wrap around her mid-drift. She smiled and leaned back into James' warm body.

"Hello, love."

"Hello." He kissed her neck tenderly, discreetly nibbling on a small stretch of skin.

"So, going to get me drunk were you."

"Yes I was. Easier to get you in the sack that way." She pulled away in mock shock.

"James! Why you dirty git, you!" 

"Oh come on James, you know Lily doesn't have to guts to down a glass of the dreaded '_alcohol'. _" 

"What?" 

"That's right, you don't have the clout for it." Sirius grinned, knowing where Tasha was going with this little game.

"You want to place a bet on that, mate?" Lily asked, her game face on

"What's your play, mate?"

"I bet that I can down anything you put in front of me. You win; I'm your slave for the day. I win…Sirius is my slave for a day."

"Hey!" Sirius protested

"And, he has to wear a lovely pink too-too, with fishnet stockings, a wig, and heels."

James and Remus snorted into their glasses.

"Deal!" Tasha and Lily proudly shook on it.

Lily was about to take a swig of the martini glass that Tasha had been holding out to her, when the doorbell rang. Sirius threw his hands in the air and looked to the ceiling.

"Thank you! Thank you…"

"Oh don't get your hopes up yet Sirius, we shall continue this once you return!"

Sirius stuck his tongue out at his girlfriend as he retreated to the large front doors. He pretty much figured that it was the paper boy or some form of muggle worker, for if a wizard or witch wanted to contact or talk to them, they used floo powder or apparated. But of course, being that Sirius' mind was on the hope that he wouldn't be wearing a too-too and a wig all day tomorrow, he forgot that the floo-networks weren't in service. So when he opened the door to find a gruff, gray-haired man staring at Sirius with a wand pointed straight at him, he was caught off guard.

"You James Potter?" the man practically grunted out. His voice was so course that Sirius had a hard time understanding him.

"Pardon me?" Sirius squeaked out

"Are-you-James-Potter? It's not a very hard question boy."

"Well I have question for you!" Sirius answered aggressively "Who are-"

"I am Moody, Mr. Potters head officer at the training camp for new upcoming aurors, and if you don't tell me where he is in a few seconds I promise you boy." He extended his wand towards Sirius' sensitive area "you'll wish you had."

Sirius quickly stepped to the side of the door and pointed towards the sitting room. Moody gave him one last glare and walked in the direction of the glowing fire and laughter. This was the worst part of being an auror. You saw the people you trained; you saw them either retreat from this lifestyle to have a real job and a family. Or, become their trainers. Loners with special powers who only have the strange comfort of the job for support. Moody saw the strange boy who answered the door walk past him and nod towards the tall boy with glasses. He had his arm around a skinny redhead. Dumbledore had told Moody of these two…and their special circumstances.

"That's James. Now if you're here to recruit him for the Auror training season. Your too late since he's already signed up."

"I know." He said gruffly sizing up the young man. "I'm here to take him and two others to training camp."

"Who are the others?" Sirius already knew the answer but he could help asking

"Sirius Black, and Tasha Harris. They both enlisted along with Potter." 

"Well I'm Black sir." Sirius stuck out his hand for Moody to shake. He took it willingly. "And the girl with the black hair is Harris." Moody nodded

"Well I suggest you go tell them to pack their things and come join me in the entrance hall." Moody started off towards a bench in the hallway to sit down, but Sirius grabbed his arm.

"Sir, I know you could probably care less, but can we, or at least James wait until tomorrow to leave. You see it's his girlfriends birthday tonight and-"

"Black, it's not my fault or my responsibility that there is a war going on. So I suggest you hurry on over there and bid goodbye to your little friends."

"But sir-"

"Now!" sirius knew the conversation was over as Moody strided off to wait by the door for them. He knew they didn't have long for good-byes, so he hurried off to the sitting room to ruin what would have been a good night.

"Hey love, who was at the door?" Tasha asked smiling from a joke James had just told them. She looked so beautiful; Sirius took in the sight of her radiance. But only for a moment.

"Love, that was Moody. Our…trainer for the auror camp." Tasha's smile vanished as her eyes darted to Lily and James, back to Sirius

"They said they'd be coming to get us but not this soon Sirius. Not on her birthday. We probably won't see her again for a long time" Tasha tried to beg Sirius, as if it was his decision to make.

"We have no choice love. Go pack some things as I tell James all right?" Tasha nodded grimly, a tear running down her cheek. She turned to go but had impulse she needed to fill. She gave Sirius a kiss and ran to Lily to give her a big hug. Lily smiled at Tasha's back in wonder at the odd traits of her friend. But once she saw the melancholy look on Sirius' face, she knew that it wasn't an oddity that founded Tasha's actions tonight.

"Who was at the door Sirius?" James asked not catching the change in mood 

"James can I talk to you-"

"Whatever you need to say to him you can say in front of all of us, Sirius" Lily said monotonously

Sirus sighed and ran his hand through his hair sadly. "James, Moody's here from the auror camp to take you, me, and Tasha to training…now"

"What?" Remus asked, shocked.

"But they said they'd be coming to get us within the week, not the day."

James and Sirius continued to argue about the subject. Not noticing Lily slip out of the warm room and into the hallway to take a good look at the man who was taking her boyfriend away from her. He was older than them, and seemed lonely. But he looked as if he's had enough experience to know what he was doing. Lily walked over and sat next to him. They sat in silence for awhile until Lily turned to him and took his hand. Moody looked at the peculiar girl with interest.

"May ask what you doing, Miss?"

"I'm examining your hands." Lily replied slowly turning them over

"May I ask why?" this was quite a strange encounter. Usually the family of the trainees threw tantrums or broke down crying. But this girl held a steady wall up against her emotions.

"Because if I'm to place my family in them, I'm making sure they are quite strong enough." Her eyes met his, and a calm understanding swept between them.

Moody nodded in admiration as Lily got up and walked back to the room where James and Sirius were saying goodbye to Remus. They each embraced eachother in a brotherly fashion then acted manly as if it hadn't happened. Lily wondered at the emotional span of men towards men.

"Hey padfoot." Lily called to sirius "You better take good care of my boyfriend. And if ANY girl comes on to him, I expect their hair to be changing colors within the hour, understood?" Sirius grinned at Lily's courage. He hugged her tightly and whispered good bye. She winked at him as Tasha tackled lily.

"Lil I wish you were coming with us!" Tasha sniffed through the massive hug she was giving Lily.

"I can't, who would take care of Remus?"

"Hey! I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, thank you." Remus pulled Tasha away from Lily and hugged her tightly

Lily felt someone dragging her out through the hall and into the study. The look on James' face was one to remember. It was a mixture of frustration, and confusion, but most of all sadness.

"I'm sorry Lil." He whispered as they melted into a kiss. She never tired of his kisses. No matter how different or how alike they were, every time her lips just grazed his, a new wonderful sensation fluttered through her whirling body.

"Just tell me you love me." She shuddered as he pulled her face up to his for another kiss.

"I love you."

"James!" sirius called from the hallway "We have to go."

"Half a moment." James turned to Lily to kiss her again but she pulled away from him, giving him a strangled smile.

"Go." She muttered, turning away from him

"Lil-"

"Go damnit just go all ready…" James sighed and walked to her one last time for who knew how long. He turned her around and planted one final thrill on her lips then walked away and out the door.

Lily heard Remus' steady footsteps come towards her after a few moments of silence. He walked around and held her. For with one look from him, lily broke down…and cried.

AN: tada!!!!! Hurah hurah hurah. The sequal has begun, I can't believe I actually started a sequal when I have like two other stories going at the same time that are in serious needs of updating. Ok so I hope your satisfied with the chapter beginnings. Please review. Thanks so much!

Disclaimer: I own none of the JKR created places, people, or things. 


	2. All I see is the color red

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The Flower Grows chp2

Sequel to the Flower's story

"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so."

-Adams, Douglas

"And he took them? Just like that? On your bloody birthday?" Molly Turnipe asked, trying on her wedding gown. Since her wedding was in exactly four days, and she was four months pregnant and starting to show, she decided it just might be a good time to get a dress for said wedding.

Lily nodded grimly, also standing next to her with a brides maid dress on. "Just like that."

"I can only imagine what that scene must have been like." Lily noticed Molly shudder out of the corner of her eye

"What exactly, is that suppose to mean?" Molly glanced nervously at lily and put a forced smile on

"Well you know that your temper isn't exactly the most controlled of all England, am I wrong? So I just assumed that-"

"That I flipped, went completely bonkers, and trashed the entire house using my brute strength?" She raised her eyebrow at molly's guilty face, already able to read the answer. So she shrugged the comment off and took a deep breath to quell her called 'uncontrollable temper'.

"Well anyway, you must hate the bugger!"

"No! No, not at all actually. While Sirius and James were fighting over something or other, I snuck out of the sitting room to go and just take a glance at him, but I don't know what it was about him that made me actually sit next to him. And talk to him. I just felt that this man knew what he was doing, he had seen so much of the evil world."

"How do you know that?" Molly asked oblivious to Lily's now pensive state

"I saw it in his eyes." 

And it was true, she had seen pain and suffering and wisdom all in his eyes. Or felt it rather. Lily's powers were developing quite nicely after she left Hogwarts. Before that the only thing she could have accomplished was to lift something under fifteen lb. off the floor without a wand or actual physical contact. Unfortunately she couldn't hold it up for more than a minute without become extremely exhausted and blacking out. Maybe it was the independence that she felt once excepting the job for St. Mungo's. Or actually earning a salary of her own, and not have to depend on james for everything. The fact was, was that her powers were developing at a rapid speed. 

She could now hold up an object or multiple objects of any weight, her mental connection with James had gone to the point where they probably wouldn't even need to vocalize to hold a conversation. And somewhere along the way, Lily started to feel powerful surges of emotion emitting from other living beings. One look into a humans eyes and she could feel their entire history through pain, anguish, love, and happiness! Or regretably sometimes, the lack of those emotions.

"Lil. Earth to Lily! Wake up bridesmaid, we have to go now!" Lily heard Molly beckoning her out of her reverie and back into the real world.

"Yea…yea…I know…" 

Molly eyed Lily carefully as she hobbled down from the pedestal and took her pregnant self over to the changing stalls. Out of all of her friends from Hogwarts, Lily was definitely the most secretive…save Remus. She was the only one seemed not to change or develop over the years of hogwarts. She had always been smart, and witty. Kind and loving towards her friends. Yet on a different level, she had changed the most. It was something you couldn't put your finger on. One of those 'on the tip of my tongue' instances . Except Molly couldn't even place her thought on it. It was such a different level development, like some high power, or underlying emotions that flowed through her, waiting to explode and let the world know their true value. Whatever it was, it made Lily seem impossible to figure out.

"So when is their first break?" molly called from behind the changing curtain over into Lily's changing stall

"Your wedding, apparently, their trainer is also going to a wedding-"

"Most likely ours. My mum has invited the whole of England I think."

"Probably. Anyway he didn't seen any reason for the trainees to stay and do nothing for a weekend, so he's going to sent them home for three whole days! I can't wait…it's been too hard without James."

"How long have they been gone, again?"

"About a month." Lily waited while Molly finished filling out forms and paying for the dresses.

"And when did you start at St. Mungo's?"

"A fortnight ago. I love the job there, and the staff are all truly encouraging. But I'm in the special units area, and am still going for classes on special cases."

"Special units?" Molly asked never having heard of special units area of that hospital.

"Injuries from Death Eater attacks. Anything having to do with the war…I deal with that…"

"But what if Tasha, and James….And Sirius even!" Lily smiled at Molly's wince at mentioning Sirius' name. He wasn't exactly her favorite person.

"That's why I took it. So if something happened I wouldn't have to wait around for months to be told they've gone missing, then wait around a few more months just to learn they died how many days, weeks, months, ago. I want to know as soon as possible. So it was either this or the ministry."

"And you hate the ministry."

"Precisely."

"I never understood that reasoning."

"The ministry is full of pompous Jerk-offs who only do what is right for the 'community' or their reputation rather. And they spit out bollucks at every chance they get to look good."

"That's politics" molly smiled as they left the bridal store and entered the semi-crowded streets of Diagon Alley.

"Well if that's politics I'm going into the theater and becoming an anarchist."

"You never know, maybe one of these days we'll finally get someone who has the balls to change things in the ministry."

"Right, and one of these days I'm going to jump out of my wheelchair, and profess my love to Snape!" 

*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"We're going home in two days, can you believe it?" Tasha muttered as they trudged back up the long hill to their campus rooms.

"I can't wait…do you think Lily will cook us a meal?" Sirius asked smiling grimly at the memory of Lily's wonderful cooking.

"If James asks, yes." Tasha nudged James, who was trudging up the steep hill right beside her. He grinned and winked at Sirius and Tasha, causing them to have a sudden burst of energy, just enough to get them up the rest of the hill, while helping James.

"I owled all our measurements for the gowns for Molly's wedding, yesterday all right? So they'll have everything ready when we get there."

"Gowns?" Sirius exclaimed flopping onto a chair in the dirty room. Another name for a room where the trainees can go to relax right after training, and not worry about getting anything…dirty.

"Tuxes for us, obviously…right?" James turned to Tahsa pleadingly. She affirmed his hopes with a nod and watched him drift into space as he had been doing quite often lately.

Tasha eyed James carefully. She had always taken a keen interest in James and Lily's relationship, since she knew them since before they were together. Those few years were very interesting around the two. And ever since lily's parents died, this was probably the longest stretch of time they had ever been apart. Not counting the fight they had in 6th year, which she just couldn't understand what it was about. But after this small vacation, who knew when they were going to be aloud back home. It could be at least six months.

"Don't worry Prongs." Tasha nudged him using his nickname playfully "The moment you see her again, everything will be back to normal."

"And then after three days I'm going to have to leave her again." James replied grimly. Tasha's encouraging smiled faded and sunk back against Sirius' chest, who was now stroking Tasha's hair gently and giving James an exasperated look.

"Listen James, I know you this is very hard for the two inseparable to actually be separated. But you're going to have three days with her this weekend-"

"Five." A gruff voice behind them croaked out. Sirius and Tasha saw James jump to his feat and stand at attention. This could only mean their trainer had given them an unexpected surprise, so they too followed suit. Staring straight ahead and not daring to move. Alastor Moody believed in two things for his trainees to become successful aurors. Besides the brains and common sense that is. Constant vigilance and of course, discipline. Which had been very hard for Sirius at first.

"You have five days with that little red-head." Moody smirked waving the three of them to sit down. They did so immediately.

"Five days sir?" James couldn't keep from smiling. Two extra days to be with Lily would be pure bliss.

"That's right Potter. We leave a day earlier and come back a day later, but you better enjoy it because I don't plan on giving any time off for a long time after that! What's that red-head's name anyway…some kind of flower…Evans was it?"

"Yes sir, Lily Evans, sir."

"Dumbledore told me about her…and you for that matter. And your certain special…capabilities." James' eyes flickered to Sirius who was giving him a knowing look. Sirius had found out about Lily and James circumstances during 7th year. When a prick named Malfoy decided to show Lily just how manly he could be with her. Lily used her 'circumstances' for not even five minutes and left an imprint of green glow on her hands, which Sirius spotted afterwards.

"I wonder why she didn't join the aurors? Her NEWT grades were quite exceptional."

"Lily had gotten job offers from many different places, mostly in the ministry, sir." Tasha chimed in "the day we left she decided to work in the special cases department of ST. Mungo's."

"Ah, then she truly must have been exceptionally bright to work in that wing of the hospital. Only aurors, officials or muggles who have been wounded by death eaters are taken there. And trust me, there are more everyday." Moody ran his age worn hands through his shoulder-length gray hair. The way a person would as if just woken up from a bad dream, coming back to the world and realizing that everything was as it should be. Or that it was as close as it could get. "I was in that place right after an attack. Do you remember a few years back when about ten neighborhood all over England and France were each attacked? It was mayhem. So many men and women I knew died in that battle. That was the battle that signified that Lord Voldemort…was a true threat to humanity. But after the fighting was done…and we had regrettably retreated…the battle still wasn't over. All the injured were sent to St. Mungo's, and I had promised a friend of mine that I would stay with her while she was getting checked up on. She should never had been fighting in the first place." Moody rose his hand to his forehead and started rubbing it, attempting to get this memory out from his head and heart and verbalize for these young people.

Tasha, Sirius, and James were quite in shock that moody has set aside his time to tell this story. Tasha could see that he was having trouble articulating, so she decided to help him along, gently.

"If it's not too bold sir, but why shouldn't she have been fighting?"

Moody snapped out of his trance and smiled grimly at Harris. "Because she was pregnant." James felt Sirius tense up beside him. "Anyway, we got there…and it was as if we never left the battle. People were screaming for help, screaming for the medi-wizards to kill them because they hurt so much. Their families were dead, they had nothing to live for. I remember one man…had his tongue and eyes cut out. Later one the medi-wizards, found them in a bag…in the mans pocket with a note inside the bag." His fists clenched the arms of the chair he was sitting in with fury "It read, if you don't silence the mudbloods, we will. And with pleasure. I'll never forget that day." He looked at the three trainees faces, all jaws hung open, and Harris with tears in her eyes. 

"Oh well, that's when they decided to close that ward off entirely only if the cause of injury, were Death Eaters. Or Voldemort, which was very rare."

"Why was it rare sir?" James asked

"Because there were few who ever came back from an encounter with Voldemort alive."

"Sir, if I may, what happened to that friend of yours? Was she all right?" Tasha asked sadly

"She lost the baby, and died in the next month. She had hung herself." 

"Sir." Sirius started carefully, attempting to break the uncomfortable silence "Why do we get these extra days off?"

"Why? Do you object to them Sirius Black?"

"No, sir!"

"Do you wish to stay here and run more drills Sirius Black?"

"No, sir!"

"Then stop whining like a little school girl and start packing. Go on! Now!" Sirius jumped up and took off towards the dorm rooms for a shower and packing. James and Tasha stifled their laughter as Sirius sprinted out the door. Moody eyed them amusedly.

"That goes for you two, also you know!" they stared at him for a few moments and then took off like madmen being chased with pitchforks.

*********

Lily walked into her patient's room for the third time that day to check on his now stable condition, since the day had been slow she was able to keep him company. It was a muggle boy who had been tortured by the Death Eaters. But not entirely physically, mostly mentally. Filling his head with horrid images of his loved ones dying and being masacred. The only part of this pain that was physical, was when the death Eaters brought out a werewolf and had it bite the boy. Right after that the Aurors had been able to sneak in and take him to safety.

"Hello ms." He mumbled form his position on the bed.

"Hello John." Lily smiled sitting in the chair next to his bed. He adjusted himself so that he could sit upright and talk to her. But Lily was alarmed when she saw him wince in pain.

"It's all right, I'm all right."

"You must be careful, John. Your still very week and your leg has yet to fully heel."

"I'm fine. But I want to hear more about this wizarding world. Why am I not a wizard?" the little boy asked curiously

"Probably because you have no magical blood in your family background." Lily shrugged pulling her hair back into a ponytail.

"Oh." He staid silent for a few moments as Lily checked over his chart and how his leg was healing. "Does it hurt?" 

"Does what hurt?"

"Turning into a…a…you know?" he stuttered 

"John, there is no reason to be ashamed of-"

"I am not shamed!" he yelled defiantly "I just want to know a simple fact."

"Yes it hurts." Lily mumbled

"How would you know?" his anger rose through his body. All he wanted to do was make someone hurt as much as he did

"Because my best friend is a werewolf and I watch him being tortured every month by it."

"And this is what I'm to expect for the rest of my life? Pain and torture? Anxiety that in the middle of the night I could trot up on my four legs and bite someone?"

"Don't let that happen, john."

"Lily, your shifts been over for a half hour. You can go home." A CO-worker named Josephine had stuck her head in through the door.

"All right" Lily called back. But when she turned back to John's bed his back was turned on her, and she knew conversation was something he wouldn't exactly want to engage in for much longer.

"I'll be back next week John. But if I get a chance I'll be in here sooner to check up on you, all right?" no answer "Well, bye then." Lily took one last look at the steady rise and fall of his of his chest, as he laid there in the silence, then left to go to the clock-out room.

"Oy, Lil." She turned around just as she was locking up her supply locker. Josephine was standing at the door looking impatient.

"What is it Jo?" Lily asked pulling her bag over shoulder and taking the hair tie out of her long-again hair.

"I forgot to tell you that, your friend…remmy…romulus-"

"Remus?"

"Oy, that's it! Remus owled and he said that he wouldn't be home till late tonight. He had a few things to do. Sorry I forgot about it till now, sweets."

"Oh. No it's all right. I'll see you next week then, right?" 

"Right, bye mate." Josephine headed out the door as lily took a hand full of floo powder and threw it into the fire.

"Goodbye, Lion's residence." She sighed into the fireplace, and felt that familiar, dizzying sensation.

Lily jumped out of the fireplace and stood staring at her reflection in the mirror for a few moments. She ran her hands over a few scratches on the side of neck a patient that had been out of control, felt like presenting her with as a welcome present. Her face looked so tired. Her shifts were through the night and to the afternoon, she usually would only get about 3.5 hours sleep. And when her shift allowed her for more, they would floo her in for a fifth opinoun, or that there had been an onslaught of victims and they couldn't find anyone else. The last time she remembered her face looking this worn, and old was when her parents had died, and she receded into a world of her own.

After a few moments of these thoughts, also the fact that she would be alone for yet another night, with no Remus or James, or Tasha, or even Sirius to comfort her. She felt the anger well up inside her, she concentrated on trying to lessen the anger, but the more she stared at the lonely face in the mirror the more tired and angry she became, until a loud smashing sound came from behind her.

Lily flung herself around to see what she had done, this time. Her anger had found an object to be placed upon. And it was the old flower vase that sat on the mantle over the fireplace. Lily didn't have the energy to clean it up, she just resigned to the fact that she was alone and the only two things she had to look forward to, was seeing James in two days, and that she would be able to sleep through the day tomorrow if she wanted to. But for some reason, after she took her shower, and after she changed into her pjs, she couldn't bring herself to sleep. Something was nagging in the back of her mind. So she got up and went down to the sitting room to sit in front of the blazing fire for a little while. Attempting to get her brain to think if there was anything she forgot to do.

James watched from the shadows with a grin, as lily sat down with a sigh and a grimace. Her worn out face reminded him of all the trainees after a hard work out moody just subjected them to. But hers was given every night. He saw loneliness and aggravation, in her tense body. Her long again hair draped over her bare shoulders, and her face in her hands. At that moment he couldn't believe ha had actually left her. Why didn't she say anything? He could tell now that she didn't want him to go, but why hadn't she told him? Slowly walking up behind her, James placed a gentle hand on her cheek. Lily smiled for the first time in days and melted into the hand, kissing it, familiarizing herself with it.

She sighed to herself and muttered "This is a nice dream."

James' grin expanded "I happy to know that I, in your dreams, give you such pleasure. But I wonder what I do in real life."

Lily's eyes popped open as she heard the voice. At first she could have sworn that she finally was able to drift to sleep. But once she heard his voice and felt his breath upon her neck, she knew this was no dream. It was heaven.

"James!" Lily threw herself onto him bringing him over the back of the couch and down on top of her. She couldn't stop kissing him. Once he pulled his face down to hers and their lips melt, melding the passion and loneliness they both had felt the past month, nothing could stop them from holding each other.

"James." Lily gasped crying for happiness "You're here! You're here with me." James sat up and brought Lily with him, grinning like a madman, and wiping away her tears.

"Shh, don't cry. Yes, I'm here and I get to stay for five days. Five." Lily laughed and pulled him in for another hug crying even harder. James took her hands and went to kiss them, but stopped noticing the violent green light emmitting from them. He looked at her questionable.

"My powers have been, somewhat spiraling out of control lately. Whenever I get angry or have any large surge of emotion, something happens." She admitted to him. 

"Why haven't you told someone?" James asked, wondering why she hadn't used her common sense

Lily saw the glow rise along with her anger "Who, you?" she asked breathing deeply and holding back a scream

"Well Remus knows, doesn't he? You could have told him, right?" James yelled, completely missing the contempt that she held for him at that moment.

"He only knows what he overheard, and that wasn't much."

"What about Dumbledore? He knows, obviously-"

"James I'm not going to floo into Hogwarts, interupt the whole school year for him just to say, Hows your day Albus, Good? Good. Mine's peachy, oh and by the way, you know that ancestor of mine? Salazaar Slytherin? Yea well, he's got a temper and it's coming out in me by making my bloody hands glow. Well that's all that's new with me, how about you?" Lily pulled away from James with anger rushing through her veins. She had never felt it this powerful before, such a resurgence of old anger and pettiness. She was angry just because she knew James was right. It wasn't fair, something had to be done. She had to be right. Something must be done.

James saw the change come over Lily. The black in her eyes told him something was horribly wrong. What had she done to herself all this time. Why hadn't somebody been with her through all of this. But that's the stubbornness of Lily that James loved, except this time it was hurting her.

"James, welcome back mate!" James heard Remus coming up behind them to greet him. But James put up his hand to cease his moving. He had stood up by now, concentrating his power, walking through Lily's mind. It was a complete daze. Like Lily's favorable type of living, her mind was usually completely organized, and clean for that matter. But right now the only things circling within her sub-conscience was anger, and hate. Lily started to slowly turn around, her fists clenched and glowing a dark emerald green, that no longer matched her eyes, for they were fully black.

"Who do you think you are?" she started in a voice that wasn't her own "Coming back to _my_ house, and telling me how stupid I was? I'm sorry but weren't you the one who decided to leave? For a better life? Well guess what? You not welcome anymore." Lily raised her hands as a green strip of light shot out of them and lifted James off the ground.

'Remus' Remus spun around in horror as he tore his eyes form the horrible scene 'Remus it's James. Remember those powers Lily and I had a fight over? These are them. You have to stop Lily, you have to stun her. I can't get to my wand. Hurry Remus.'

Remus didn't hesitate, he grabbed his wand out of his robes pocket and shot the most powerful stunning spell towards Lily. Except it didn't stun her, it only injured her enough to give James enough time to get his wand out. He shot a stunning spell at her, except this one wasn't the usual thin streak of red. It was so powerful and so strong that it through her back against the wall, rendering her UN-conscience.

"How did you two do those things?" Remus asked, running over to Lily to make sure she wasn't dead

"Long story…that I thought you knew." Remus shook his head "Well we have to get her to ST Mungo's, special care unit. I'm going to owl Dumbledore, I'll meet you there all right? Owl the rest of the mates once your settled in. thanks, Remus."

"James." Remus called before James left for Hogwarts. "Welcome home, mate." James gave him a nod and with a flash of green flame was gone. 

******

James came out through the Head boy and Girl dormitories. There were two students sitting at tables and studying for what looked like to be their NEWT. Their heads shot up in shock at the man.

"Is Professor Dumbledore in the school?" he asked them hurredly, when the girl gave him a nod he shot out of the room and towards the headmaster's office. The moment he was at the gargoyle and ready to blast it down it opened, and there stood Dumbledore as of he was expecting James.

"I heard you, I have a portkey to the special care unit in St. Mungo's, we shall use that. You must tell me everything that has been happening James."

Before james could answer he felt Dumbledore putting an object in their hands and and being pulled to St. Mungo's. the unit he was in was in chaos. There were people everywhere begging to be taken home or cured or sent to see their god. Muggles he thought, they were all muggles.

"Ah, Potter, good to see you enjoying your days off."

"Mr. Moody, what are you doing here?" James asked not really paying attention to the answer, he was too worried about Lily to care about anything else.

"She's in that room at the end of the hall, Potter." Moody sighed knowing the boy's attention would be forever on the red-head. 

James ran all the way down the halls ignoring the complaints he received from medi-wizard and patients he bumped into. All that mettered was behind the door.

***

Lily lay on the bed, all forms of life stable in her body, except the splitting headache she would feel if she ever woke up, that is.

It had been a whole two days since the incident, and James had not gone home or seen actual sunlight since then. He stayed with her, every moment of the day. He only left to go to the bathroom, or get a medi-wizard if he thought something bad was happening. And the closest thing he came to having a shower, was sirius dunking his head under the sink when James seemed to start going crazy with his pent up emotion.

"James…" James lifted his head up off the bed to see if it was Lily who had said his name. But to no avail, for her eyes were still closed tightly.

"James." Tasha nudged him. "We're off to Molly and Arthur's wedding, are you sure you won't come? It would be good for to-"

"She might wake up, and I have to be here for it." Molly looked to Sirius sadly and nodded for them to leave. Remus kissed lily on the forehead and then left for the wedding. They had begged and begged him to go, but he refused. The only thing he saw or heard was Lily's voice, or her sweet smile. He had left the camp in the hopes of spending a wonderful, romantic weekend with lily. Not holding her hand and praying for her to wake up every hour. She looked so pale, so sickly. Dumbledore had said that her power had been so untrained these past few months, that her stress had just completely taken over and consumed her, bringing about the more negative affects of the powers.

James took her hand and squeezed a little harder than usual, hoping that it would wake her up this time…no response.

"Lily?" he whispered out loud "Lil, can you here me, love? I just…I wanted to say…please…wake up. Bloody hell, lil I love you so much that I am in physical pain right now. You are my life if you died I couldn't go on living knowing that I'm never going to look at your beautiful face again. Never knowing if I would have had the guts to take the ring that I have out of my pocket and actually, officially, propose. Well we'll know now, just keep holding my hands that all I need."

With one hand in lily's and the other opening a small velvet box, James got down on one knee.

"Lily Evans, will you marry me? Will you put up with me, and make Sirius dinner…because you know that's the package, I'm sorry. But, oh god lil please wake up, please. Just squeeze my hand, just one squeeze saying that you'll be mine forever. You can't leave me, please, please. I love you." James waited, gasping for breath as his emotional status wouldn't let his body function correctly. He held her hand so tightly, just waiting for any sign of life for ten minutes straight. In complete silence. 

Until he was about to give up, he loosed his grip on her and put the ring away, with one last glance at her, he squeezed her hand once more, but this time receiving a squeeze back.

A/N: Finally I'm done I know hate me hate me hate me. Please R&R I'm too tired to write any other comments, thanks for the reviews I really appreciate them!

Disclaimer: I own nothing that is the genius of JKR! 


	3. Sweet unknowing release

**The Flower Grows chp3**

**Sequel to The Flower's Story**

**Love heals-it heals those who recieve it and those who give it. **

**-Anonymous**

James turned back to her slowly, not daring to hope. Not daring to hope that what he felt wasn't a dream. He lifted up her hand and enclosed it completely within his own, and waited, just one more moment, one more...

Lily sucked in a deep breath as if she had just surfaced from an overdue time underwater and slowly opened her eyes, letting them adjust to the light and focused on James.

"I thought you asked me that question already." She whispered playfully, attempted a smile in her weakened state. James returned it ten fold.

"Yes, but this time I have a ring."

"Really? Is it pretty? Can we tell people too?"

"If you want…is it pretty? What do you think I can't buy a bloody engagement ring? Please Lil after all this time do you still think me incompetent of-" James saw a tear trickle down lily's cheek as he slipped the ring onto her left ring finger "Lily what's wrong? Are you all right? Do you want me to get a medi-wizard?"

"No, James. No I'm fine." Lily said grinning at his minor pissy fit, and gestured for James to help her sit upright. Once she had sat up straight and taken in her surroundings, her eyes settled on James once more, but this time her grin was no longer apparent. "But, you're not all right."

"Lil, what happened was an accident. Dumbledore told me that under the stress from work and loneliness your powers spiraled out of control and took on some of…Slytherins more…characteristic traits. But I'm not going to let that happen again."

"Neither am I. James I could have killed you, and you know it." James sat down on the hospital bed stroking her hand in reassurance. "But you didn't-"

"I'm going to give up the powers." The stunned silence hung in the hair over the two of them for what seemed an eternity. James let go of Lily's hand and looked at her in confusion.

"You couldn't-what do you mean?" his face had a slightly confused look about it that Lily usually found attractive…but this time it made telling him this harder.

"James." Lily reached for him but he pulled away and backed off the bed, ruffling his already strewn hair. She hated that lost look on his face, it pained her to see his eyes form a look of now hurt confusion.

"It's not possible Lily, to give up your heritage"

"James, I'm not giving it up…your right that would be impossible. But there is a way I wouldn't have to be reminded of it every day. A way I could protect you, and every one else I love." James shook his head furiously not wanting to believe what he was hearing.

"Lily this is a gift we have, we were blessed with a gift-"

"A curse James" Lily interrupted "You have to understand that for me it's always been a curse and it always will. I mean honestly, think how many fights have we had over this? We almost lost each other because of it, once." He knew she was referring to the only time during their relationship where it had seemed to be completely over.

"Lil, just because we've had some arguments over our powers doesn't mean you have to give them up completely!"

"But James, don't you realize that it's not your powers we ever fight about…it's mine. Because of the horrible line of blood that is seeping through my veins and frightfully my soul my personality changes. And knowing what I have inside of me is just making it worse. And worst of all I've hurt you and I've hurt Remus in the process…the next thing you know is I've killed someone and their shipping me off to Azkaban…"

"I won't let that happen-"he was pleading with her now, if he let her do this…forget the one thing that truly made them different from the rest of this world…truly connected them…he would be the only one left. But the truth in Lily's words stung him deeply. She knew what her powers potential of danger were more than anyone else.

"No James…" she reached over slowly to the opened drawer in the bedside table on the opposite side of James. "_I_ won't let it happen."

"You have to clear this with Dumbledore you know…" his excuses were feeble now, but he would try anything to get her to change her mind.

"No I don't, and you know that." She handed him her wand and smiled at him as his eyes grew with the reality of her decision.

"Why me?"

"Who else? You were with me through it all." She smiled grimly

"No I wasn't. I haven't been there for you this past month Lil." James sighed "If you do this, I'm going to quit-"

She leaned over and kissed him gently. "I love you four eyes, and your not giving up your dream of becoming an auror because of me. And now that I won't have these awful powers to worry about you have no reason to think of coming home to a house blown up. "

He smiled and pointed the wand at her "I love you carrot-top...now tell me what to do"

Arthur and Molly's wedding had gone beautifully. The garden they were married in was hung with white linen, white roses floated through the air magically, and white snow had been magicked in also, although it disappeared before it reached the floor to prevent a mess. When Sirius and Tasha returned to St. Mungo's with cakes and pastries of all kinds to tempt James to leave the room, they found James sitting in a chair next to Lily's bed talking to a pale looking red-haired girl that had a curious grin on her face.

"Lily!" Tasha threw all the cakes she was holding into Sirius' arms and ran towards Lily (which was quite difficult as she was wearing a tight slipped off white gown with extremely high heels). Lily grinned as Tasha hobbled over and embraced her friend that she had not seen for over a month. Tasha had tears in her eyes while she looked her friend over, although pale Lily looked rejuvenated and alive. As if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, or a curse had been taken away.

"Oh Lil, we were so worried, the medi-wizards said-" she shuddered "They thought for the worst. But I knew you'd pull through."

Lily rolled here eyes knowing her friend had probably given in to the fact she would never wake up again. "Thanks for your confidence…how was Molly's wedding?" Tasha then went into a huge description of the decorations, the dresses, what people were wearing, what they weren't wearing…and all the while Sirius stood by the door shaking his head and rolling his eyes at his girlfriends odd remarks. 'Oh but Lil he looked like a ruddy pig with wings in that suit, you should have seen it' He dumped the pastries and cakes and get well cards onto a chair and motioned to James that he wanted to talk outside. James took a glance at Lily and winked walking toward the waiting rooms with Sirius.

"So how is she?" he asked knowing that James was still worried deeply about her, and didn't exactly feel like discussing the ups and downs of Molly and Arthur's wedding.

"Oh she's going to be fine…she always has been…always will be…" James looked away from Sirius knowing that he could read the real feelings beneath his fake expression of relief. He saw a couple walking through the doors of St. Mungo's returning to the muggle world holding hands and smiling at each other.

Sirius saw a gloom settle over James, he put his hand on James' shoulder stopping him from walking any further.

"What happened?" he pulled him over to a pair of chairs pushing him into one not prepared to take any more bull shit. They both sat down as James ran his fingers through his disheveled hair.

"It's over…and I'm engaged."

Sirius stared at him in confusion…how could their relationship be over when they were engaged. He didn't know whether to congratulate or comfort his friend. James saw the confused look on Sirius' face and gave a weak chuckle.

"Our relationship isn't over Padfoot obviously if we're engaged, it's just…you know the powers we told you about?" Sirius nodded listening aptly to James "She gave hers up. Said it was hurting Remus and I too much to keep going with them…but did she even stop to consider how this is going to effect me? No, never…its all her her her."

"Wait…how'd she get rid of them? Isn't that impossible?"

James shook his head and sat back in his chair taking a deep breath. "Apparently when she found out she had Slytherins powers an uncontrollable fear took over as she has said herself. So she had searched and searched for a way to block powers…or to forget a certain aspect of her life…." James gestured for Sirius to finish his sentence

"Her powers! So she blocked them?"

"Technically I blocked them as it was me waving her wand at her and extracting the memories." James reached in his back pocket and pulled a small green glowing gem out. "But this gem…if she used her powers in any way at any given time, that moment is extracted from her mind and put in here. She's also forgot anything to do with my powers. This little thing right here is all the memories having anything to do with Lily's powers. So it, I suppose you can say, put a stopper in her powers, so if she has any resurgence of anger or loneliness this will prevent her powers from resurfacing."

Sirius took all this in slowly "So what would happen if the gem was broken."

"Everything would return to her, but much stronger as it has been gaining energy and idling away for a period of time."

Sirius took the gem away from James and looked inside its transparent emerald glass. Hazy moving pictures could be seen inside playing the scenes out inside themselves.

"So…her powers have been gathering energy while we've been away, have they?" Sirius scoffed "I knew I've been a distraction to her but this is just plain insulting!"

James smirked "No you git, while they are inside this gem they'll be gathering energy…biding its time I suppose you can say."

"Well if lily feels that it's for the best…and she obviously has you and Remus in mind with this decision, you'll just have to trust her on it."

"I do trust her, and I understand that she's worried…but I can take care of her, I know I can." James put his head in his hands resigning to this awful fact. "And it's not just the fact that I'm now extremely worried about her…I now feel like I'm alone. I'm the only one left who has these sort of powers."

"Ah but that's where your wrong prongs m'darling. For you shall always have your dear padfoot to keep you company." Sirius ruffled James' head as he looked up at him. James pushed his hand away and threw Sirius a devilish smile.

"You think that's suppose to cheer me up, eh? Maybe if you were a dog permanently I could consider you mans best friend, you get what I'm playing at…m'dear." Sirius shoved James out of his chair with a playful grin.

"Oh shut it Prongs, lets go get some tea."

"So who **_did_** look like a ruddy pig with wings at Molly and Arthur's wedding?"

Sirius laughed, happy that James was converting back to his old self. But a thought dampened his mind as they stepped into the tea room.

"James, you need to hide that thing." He gestured toward James right hand where he was fiddling with the gem that held Lily's powers.

James looked at Sirius "Oh Bugger, your right…"

"No comment from the bleedin peanut gallery, thank you."

"I made no such comment, but you are right…we need to hide this. If some one got a hold of it and…broke it her powers would come rushing back and…"

"Danger…listen, How about you give it to me and I'll stop by dumbledore's-"

"No. Lily said specifically that she did not want Dumbledore to know she released her powers, so nix that idea." James looked at the gem that seemed to be glowing brighter then when it had formed not half an hour ago.

"Gringrotts."

"Sorry?"

"You have to put it in Gringrotts, theres no safer place. Give it to me I'll open a high security vault this afternoon after I explain everything to Tasha and- Oh bloody hell…Tasha doesn't know about all this!"

"Oh for fucks sake." James handed the gem to Sirius and dropped the cups of tea into the nearest waste can, running for Lily's room.

"Blimey Lil, this ring is beautiful. Can I?" Tasha motioned to take the ring off of Lily's hand so she could examine it closely. Lily nodded grinning in simple pure satisfaction. The ring was beautiful, James seemed to have captured the very essence of Lily in it. The band itself was white gold, as Lily herself never really liked the vibrant color of pure gold. There was a large diamond in the middle that was circled by minuscule emeralds echoing the exact color of Lil's almond shaped eyes. And as Tasha was turning the ring over in her hands she noticed inside, an inscription that fit onto the band with remarkable precision, Of course, magically inscribed. 'Love means me, love means you.'

Tasha put the ring back on lily's finger looking at her with a worried expression. "Are you feeling all right Lil?"

"Of course, James told me the doctors said it was only a concussion…but lucky I hadn't stayed asleep longer, right?" Lily smiled at Tasha and without noticing the confused look on her went bent to ogling at her ring.

"But…Lil, what about the whole po-"

"What about the whole 'all of us staying single forever' bit eh?" Sirius exclaimed making lily laugh.

"Sorry Sirius I'm afraid the ladies of Hogwarts have successfully disbanded the Marauders and moved forward with our evil plan of making the men across the world…domestic." Sirius gasped playfully, humoring lily so she wouldn't expect a difference in character as Sirius had just interrupted Tasha's unknown folly.

He and James strolled into the room giving knowing glances toward eachother as they went to sit next to the girls. But as Sirius gave Tasha a kiss on the forehead he also gave her a look that clearly stated asking about Lily's powers was a big no no.

"You owe me an explanation later" she whispered to him as he pulled up a chair beside her.

"You'll get it, just forget about it now" Sirius whispered back as his arm slid around her back and rested on her shoulder line.

"So when does the doctor- sorry, medi-wizard say that I will be out of here?" Lily grinned as her fingers entwined with James'.

"Tomorrow." A voice from the doorway replied. Remus strolled in with his hands in his pockets and a smile that did not match the three gashes that streamed across his face. "Lil, you're still referring to them as doctors eh? We need to get you better acquainted with the ways of the wizarding world. As I understand you've only known about it what…since you met me? And that's how many years?"

"Don't you mock me sir." Lily said trying to grin as she took his hand and pulled him closer to her to examine the cuts that will eventually be scars. "You should put some potion on those, I'll Have"

Remus stopped her by kissing her forehead and sitting down next to Tasha "you're not the medi-wizard today Lil, you're the patient so I would appreciate no advice from someone who has suffered a very severe head injury…you never know what will come out of someone in that position…" she grinned, now for some reason…being truly happy to be awake.

"I'll be waiting outside for you alright?" James took Lily's hand and kissed it, she smiled back at him as he walked out of her hospital room. She looked around the room one last time checking to make sure she had everything. She went to the bedside table and looked inside the drawer to retrieve her wand…but it wasn't there. She looked around and spotted it at a table under a mirror across the room, she never liked the mirrors in the wizarding world, they always seemed to get cheeky with her, or even cryptic at times.

"That was a brave thing you did dear." This one decided to say.

"Yea alright." Lily murmured brushing the comment off as she grabbed her wand and turned to leave and join James. "And you can't even notice the mark, but your lucky vanity doesn't concern you. As a mirror I find its one of the top priorities of this gen-" but Lily hadn't the patience or the curiosity inside her to stay and listen to the dusty old mirror. That was one factor of this world she had never grown accustomed to; taking advice from inanimate objects.

"Ms. Evans?" Lily was ten feet away from the door when she heard a small voice call out to her, she closed her eyes and wondered what papers she hadn't signed for her release and turned around with a grimace. But the sight in front of her was much more pleasant than medi-wizards requesting signatures.

"John! John how wonderful to see you walking…how are you feeling?" Lily walked over to the young man and gave him a small hug that didn't completely cross the medi-wizard/patient boundary.

"I'm better, thanks to the potions that you prescribed." He smiled at her "Ms. Evans…I just wanted to say I'm sorry for the way I acted the last time we spoke. I was very rude and I-"

"You don't need to apologize john-"

"No! I do need to apologize and to say thank you."

"Thank you? Why?"

John shifted his position on the cane he was using "I met your friend…Remus? He helped me with a few things and he said he'd come back to visit again."

Lily grinned and made a mental note to thank Remus. "He's a good man Remus, and he copes with it every day."

"Yes well in my world…its not as big a problem as it is in yours."

"I know…werewolves are fictional for muggles…I used to believe that too. Well I must go John, hopefully we won't have to meet again under these circumstances. Feel better."

"You too, I heard you were in here for a few days." John shifted his position on his cane once more and turned hobble back into his room. Lily looked back at him once more and as she stared at his injured leg found it hard to remember why she had been in St. Mungo's in the first place.

A/N: I know it's taken awhile but things are positively insane, as life goes. So enjoy.

Disclaimer: I own nothing that is the genius of JKR!


	4. Always come prepared

**The Flower Grows chp 4**

**Sequel to the Flower's story**

**"Where secrecy reigns, carelessness and ignorance delight to hide while skill loves the light."**

**-Gelman, Daniel C.**

Diagon Alley has history, it will continue to make history, and that history shall always be stored in a safe place. And of course the safest place to store anything in Diagon Alley was Gringrotts, the Wizarding bank. And Gringrotts is exactly where Sirius Black was heading. The streets were quiet today, there were a fair amount of people but the sunny day seemed to have driven people away from the shops and towards a less errand full approach to this beautiful day. The air was crisp and there was a light breeze which when entwined with the warmth of the sun, gave you such a sensation of calm that shopping was probably one of the last topics on your mind. Sirius himself never had a knack for shopping…except when it came to pulling pranks. He knew exactly where and when to go to a spot to find the perfect items. For certain merchandise is only on sale certain times of the year…in his days as a Hogwarts Marauder…he kept a calendar for these sorts of events.

But today he could not enjoy a stroll about a park, perhaps a boat ride, or what he most longed for, a ride on his flying motorcycle. He had made James (and unknown to her, Lily) a promise. In his pocket was a green gem so powerful that if held to the light you could actually feel the power surging through your eyes and into your soul, as if someone had given you an infection of adrenaline pumping though your veins giving you strength to perform whatever tasks. Sirius had wished that James and Lily had not rushed into this power protection act so quickly…especially without consulting with Dumbledore. Yes he understood why Lily had wanted to do it but when it came down to it, it was unnatural.

This was something no matter how many times Lily tried to repress, it would resurface. Because it was part of her history, her family history, something like that can't be hidden. One day, probably soon, she would have to come face to face with it…except next time she won't have Dumbledore counseling her with what to do. So Sirius stood facing Gringrotts while rolling his fingers through the package that was slightly emitting a light. James had given him a certain amount of Galleons so that they could have a high security vault…for if anyone got their hands on this object it would be the end of Lily's control. But something scared Sirius, for even as he twirled the object around his fingers in his robe pocket, he felt the power transferring from the gem and through his veins.

The next few weeks were in the simplest term; refreshing. Lily, once out of Saint Mungo's felt as if a weight had been lifted from within her soul. She couldn't remember feeling this light and care-free in such a long time. The moment she stepped back into the muggle world and the cool air hit her face, Lily felt as though her breathing the London air was the first breath she ever took. It was fresh and revitalizing, as if coming up from staying underwater for too long a time. But it wasn't just the feel of the cool air rushing down her lungs that pulled her into this new state of being. it was the way her entire body felt. Her skin was tingling, her blood pulsing, she even thought that her eyes saw clearer than they ever had before. In fact, although she felt slightly guilty, because her heart was so lifted she couldn't even bring herself to cry when James, Sirius, and Tasha were called back to Auror training camp.

The few days that James and Lily had together after her release from Saint Mungo's were spent lolling about, doing nothing. Sitting by a fire, walking in the nearby parks, even shopping was enjoyable to James! Who also felt that shopping meant running into a Quiditch shop to look over the newest supplies and catch up on the latest teams or collecting the latest pranking methods so he could relive his infamous days as Head trouble Maker at Hogwarts. But this time, they just wanted to be with each other…who knew when they would see one another again.

The day before the three of them left, Lily was strolling back up the walkway towards the front door when she noticed something odd. She felt a tingling on the back of her neck, that feeling that makes your hair stand on end. Like there was somebody holding a feather less than an inch above your neck, yet you had no way to prove that was even there in the first place. She spun around quickly looking all around her, bringing the short defensive training she had at Saint Mungo's to the working part of her brain. The hospital had made all new members of the staff , especially those working in her unit, undergo a brief two week defensive combat course. After the things that Lily has gone through over her years at Hogwarts…she didn't feel she needed it. However, at this moment, she wished she had more.

She pulled her wand from her robe pocket and held it up as if posing to cast a curse at someone. She stood extremely still, the only part of her body that she moved was her head as it scanned the area across the road and around the large front yard that belonged to the Potter house. But there was nothing around. She thought she saw the tail of some animal swipe around tree across the road, but she tried to convince herself it was just her imagination. She was just probably more stressed out over her friends' leaving then she realized. Yet…something about her defensive stance was odd…thinking back on her brief training sessions, she hadn't learnt any defensive poses…that seemed to have come naturally from within her. It seemed as though she already knew how to fight, the stance, the alertness, the skill of observation; it seemed in no other words…natural. Again…this must be stress; hanging around with training Aurors was just too much. It was one thing for Sirius' natural ability to annoy a person to rub off on her, but now they're strict training? If she didn't watch it she would become as bi-polar as that insane mutt. With one last glance around her she slipped her wand back into her robe pocket and walked through the front door.

So that night they all sat around the fire (minus Remus who seemed to be absent more and more lately) just chatting and bantering about old times and Lily felt that feeling on her neck again. She swiped around quickly and saw nothing. James gave her a funny look, but exchanged motivated glance with Sirius. Lily then realized she was being a tad too paranoid…also James' hand had been resting on the back of her neck…that must have been it…

"Are you all right love?" James asked Lily pulling her up onto his lap. She had been sitting on the floor in front of him and him on the sofa behind her.

"Er..yes! Yes I'm fine…I just thought I saw something. Out of the corner of my eye…but it was nothing." He grinned at her with a questioning eye "I'm not going crazy James, it was nothing!"

"Fine, as long as you're sure!" He sighed and clasped his arms around her waist as she laid back against his chest, turning her head slightly so she could give his neck a little kiss

"I think Lily has taken one too many knocks to the noggin if you ask me." Sirius commented across the sitting table.

"That's only because living with you is such a hazard, Sirius." Sirius winked at her and went back to the game of chess that he was playing with Tasha.

"I hate chess…can't we do something else?" Sirius raised his eyes brows with a smirk

"Well we can dear but I don't know if I'm comfortable enough with James in that sort of way yet…" James took his wand and levitated a pillow at him knocking over the entire game of chess in the process. "James…I think you need to work on your charms…eh?"

"Don't worry Padfoot; my charms should be the least of your worries…unless you're willing to take up Tasha's offer." Tasha took the pillow from the chess set and threw it back at James.

"Will you both get off? You know what I meant…I'm so terribly bored…" Tasha moved over to the fire and started poking it with one of the sticks causing it to inflame just a little bit more than expected. Sirius pulled her waist just in time so that her eyebrows didn't get singed off.

"One, your only bored because your losing, Two, your going to be having enough of adventures of that sort" he pointed to the raging fire "back at training, so give it a rest will you?"

"No, Moody owled us yesterday, we're starting stealth when we return-"

"All ready?" Lily interrupted

The three of them looked at her with a bit of pity. Even though she had been in the hospital for most of their return they had gotten used to them being all together again. It was pleasant; they had that old feeling of being impenetrable. They knew that outside in the world there was a war waging…but while they were here together…nothing could break the barriers. But it was that war exactly that had reflected in Lily's eyes.

"It's just that…well…I heard they didn't start stealth until about three months in…and you three have only been there for a little more than a month, correct?"

They nodded, James and Sirius were looking at her wondering where she was going with this, but Tasha who had truly known Lily the longest besides Remus moved from her seat with Sirius and took Lily's hand in hers.

"Lil, you know there's a war going on-" "That's not fair" Lily interjected but Tasha kept on, she needed to hear this "Listen to me. They are training us quicker then normal because they need us to be prepared faster than we would have needed to be had there been no danger present in the world…you probably know this more than most-"

Lily pulled her hand from Tasha's and released herself from James' hands walking slowly towards the fire. "Why should I know this more than others? I haven't had any real experience with Voldemort…it's not fair for you to be leaving." She spun around with an apologetic look in her eye "I'm not trying to be selfish, and I'm not that sorry that your leaving I just…why do you three have less training than everyone else does? Won't you be inefficiently prepared?"

"Lil, it's not just us three whose in training…there are others! And we are all being trained at the same pace, they just trust in our abilities to the point where we don't need as much time as some others did. That's why Moody came and got us so soon."

Lily felt James' hand starting to run up and down her arm. She looked up into his eyes through his round glasses. Some would think that having glasses made you look somewhat silly…but Lily could never picture him without them. So she smiled at his handsomely clever looks and put her arms around him bringing him closer for a hug, She just wanted to be near him, to memorize his body once more before he left, for Lily felt that they would not be seeing each other for a very long time.

So Lily said goodbye to them yet again and watched as they disapparated out of her life. But just as they had gone, the long absent Remus apparated into the entranceway and with one heavy eyed smile at Lily, collapsed on the floor.

"Remus!" she shrieked and ran for him. Her knees skidded the floor as she dropped herself beside him causing a brief burning, dry feeling on her skin. But she couldn't care less, so she placed her hands under Remus' head and slowly moved his head onto her lap. She stoked his hair noticing that the three gashes she saw on his face at the hospital had seemed to be ripped open by something…or someone. She bent her face over his mouth to check his breathing and noted that his breaths were shallow but steady. Without hesitation she pulled her wand from her robe pocket and transformed an object nearby into a portkey. "_Portus_" she hissed at it with urgency. Lily counted to three while placing Remus' hand on what appeared to be a simple piece of a broken vase. "1…2…3."

She needed to change her career, if Lily was to become a healer she needed to find a more suitable way to help people in need, especially the people involved with this ridiculous war. She couldn't keep treating them without fully knowing what was going on…and that's how she felt with Remus. He slept in her house, but didn't really live there. He wasn't home most of the time and when she found he was, it was probably around the time of the full moon so he had been asleep for most of it. Lily got up from her seat beside his bed and walked over to the window, she looked upon the ignorant muggles and wondered how she could have ever lived without knowing of this world…but lately she found herself wondering…would it have been all that bad?

"Good morning Miss Evans" a gentle voice from the doorway spoke to Lily. She spun around from her lookout at the window so quickly that her neck felt as though it would fall off.

"Professor Dumbledore!" they both walked towards each other evidently happy to see the other. Lily had heard neither hide nor tail of Dumbledore since she had her commencement ceremony from Hogwarts. She grasped his hand firmly shaking it with a smile, although she did not receive such a welcoming expression, his look seemed confused and within a few seconds somewhat disappointed. But before Lily could ask what was wrong he turned to Remus' sleeping state and observed him with a sigh.

"I'm afraid Miss Evans that I owe you an explanation. Your dear friend Mr. Lupin has as of late been, I suppose you can say, working for me…" Lily stared at him in confusion, if Remus had been working for Dumbledore than wouldn't he have been working at the school? There were no other 'jobs' that Dumbledore could have presented him with. And of course Dumbledore being who he was just smiled at Lily's confused face and walked past her to the side of Remus' bed where his wand lay.

"Lily," she started as he said her first name in a tone unlike his usual authoritative self "you will recall me mentioning a group I was going to assemble after a large group of you have come of age." After a moment's silence in which Dumbledore strode around the room taking in his surroundings and observing Lily with an odd eye he continued. "Yes well, I'm sure that you and James will have supposed me to have recruited for this group already as I am also sure that you do not wish for me to wait for certain people to come of age…" he paused again this time Lily decided to stop this, what seemed to her, babbling and intervene.

"No…sir I do not recall this… group" she shrunk back at the somewhat disappointed look on his face "I'm sorry? It could be because I recently was in the hospital for-"

"Bumping your head…if I'm correct?" she nodded not appreciating the judgmental look he was sending her way "Well I'm sorry to hear that…perhaps then Miss Evans you are not prepared to take on what I need you to embrace…" he started to leave the room

"And what's that sir?" she was quite put out by his obvious snub

"Before you embark a journey…you must know yourself Miss Evans…and right now at this moment, you have chosen not to acknowledge yourself at all." And with that he turned around and walked out of Remus' room.

Lily didn't have time to run after him and confront him about his somewhat odd insult for as he left Remus stirred for the first in a couple days. The moment he left it was as if a spell had been lifted from the room…much like she felt after leaving St. Mungo's.

"Oh…just…just kill me please…" he gingerly picked his hand up off the bed and instinctively reached for Lily. She walked to where Dumbledore had been standing not a moment ago and clasped his hand in hers. Remus looked thinner than usual and for the first time in his life… not only did his outward appearance look ragged, but it seemed to reflect the exhaustion within.

"Remus, oh Remus what's happened to you? How could I let you loose yourself for so long?" Once Remus' vision came back into focus he saw the fresh tears that had awakened from Lily's eyes.

"Please Lil, don't." he tried to smile at her but found that all his energy was being used on simply talking and holding tightly onto her hand. For some reason he was afraid that if he would let go he would loose her forever.

"How could you not tell me?" she cried "How could you willingly leave me alone wondering where you are…I can't think of anything else that I thought of while you were gone, Remus. How could you worry me like that? Why?" Remus just stared at her in disbelief. 'You'd think she'd be able to restrain herself until I recovered?'

"There are things you've hidden from me as well Lil-" he started to say

"I have never hid anything from you! I don't think I even hid the fact that I had feelings for James in school!"

"Oh you most definitely did, so don't even start on that ridiculous matter! I'm speaking of-" but he was cut off by the immense choking sensation he felt within his throat when he spoke loudly and tried to exert himself while proving a point. Lily just sighed and propped him up on his bed, her healer instincts kicking in.

"What's wrong with me anyway?" he finally asked

"You've been cursed-"he snorted "apparently." She ignored him "While on the job…of course only you and your good pal Dumby know what actually happened."

Lily, please don't do this! Please just let this go, I promise in due time you will know everything I know…" he looked at her confused face and smiled "Hell, maybe more." Knowing Dumbledore and his resistance to let people in on shoulder baring news, he suspected that eventually a time would come when he would not know everything that was necessary to succeed.

"Oh stop trying to butter me up Remus I know what your doing, but Dumbledore made it quite clear that he no longer wishes me to be in his little clubby thing any longer…I apparently 'must know thyself' before I take a step further…its all bullocks if you ask me…" she tried to let go of his hand and huff her way back over to the window. But upon pulling her arm away from his he just held on tighter, she was moving with such a swift speed as she had not expected him to hold on any longer that the sheer force of her trying to move away from his pulled him up straight and he started to fall off the bed. Lily turned around quickly and caught him just in time as he was too weak to hold on to something and restore his balance on his own. It was unfair, he felt as though he was a small child, he felt as though it was the full moon, completely and utterly helpless to its power over him.

But for Lily this feeling was different…she wasn't ashamed to help Remus, in fact she rather liked it. He had been so distant lately that she hadn't even been able to cook him a true dinner. When she was able to straighten him and place him gently onto the bed his eyes met hers…his eyes were now tearing.

"Don't ask me anymore questions-"

"But-"

"PLEASE!" he yelled as loud as his voice would allow "Do this for me…I promise…I swear on everything that is wonderful about our relationship Lily, you will know what I am doing in due time."

She looked at the emotion and couldn't bear to hear him beg and plead any longer. She consented to not ask anymore questions for the time being.

"But you have to promise me one thing. No, now you listen to me!" he had made to interrupt her once more, but it was her turn now. "Will you at least try to explain what Dumbledore meant by what he said to me…about not being prepared…"

"No I can't do that…it's all your decision and when you're ready you will know…trust me…I think we'll all know." He forced a smile in her direction but when she turned away his face clouded over with gloom. He knew that the secret of Lily giving up her powers for the protection of others was dangerous and almost selfish…although she thought it was for her friends. But Remus could not help think that Dumbledore also was being selfish, he feared that if Lily and James both did not have and combine their power for the use of the Order…then all could be lost…and quickly. But why did he need them so terribly? Did he want them just to prove that Slytherin's powers could be used in a positive way…or did he just fear Lily might take on more of a Slytherin Characteristic and decide that Voldemort had the right idea?

Lily had Remus fixed up and out of St. Mungo's within the week, however she forbid him to leave the house for another two weeks, especially since in one week the full moon would be upon him once more. He agreed and relaxed at home while she worked her way through healing classes and work schedules at Saint Mungo's. She felt happy to be back at work and everyone seemed happy to see her return…she couldn't remember having this many friends at work…but hey the more she got along with her co-workers the simpler it is to solve a problem with a patient. But when your in the unit the Lily occupied you hope to god that you don't get a patient in at all…they ushered in at least four or five patients a day… one day an entire muggle village had been attacked and she herself had to go on the scene to help with the healing.

The devastation she witnessed was unbearable. There were muggles who had been purposely sawed in half and had revival spells constantly put on them just so they would stay alive as long as possible…feeling the terrible pain. Half the village seemed to be under the Imperius curse which was a job for the ministry to handle. This frustrated Lily the most for even though she was taught how to disable an Imperius curse she was technically not allowed because the ministry had to go along and record every single person that had ever been under the curse. So instead of helping them…she was made to stupefy them. Thankfully she hadn't seen any Aurors that even resembled her friends. Knowing the battles that lay before Sirius, Tasha, and James only made her nerves more unsettled than they were when she learned that their training alone was faster than the Aurors before them…she felt they weren't taking enough time to sit and learn what was necessary for the jobs that awaited them…for the wars. But she fought the storm raging in her heart to speak up about her disapproval. She knew exactly what their responses to her outrage would be. They would just try to calm her down…as if she was a bomb that needed to have water splashed over it before it exploded…is that how they saw her sometimes? An unstable bomb? Well there was no use worrying about it…they were hundreds of miles away and here she was again…stuck…and even though Remus was with her most of the time now…she knew in her heart she was still alone.

On the eve of the full moon Lily sat at a desk in the tea room with some colleagues who were discussing some new potion or another…these happened often and she wasn't exactly in the mood to listen, until she heard one word: werewolf.

"What?" she looked up from the book she had been going over to make sure she had remembered the protocol of the hospital correctly.

"Fascinating, isn't it?" a man named George Finkley replied. He was a tall rather pompous man with brown hair that didn't match his disposition at all, as his hair was sort of a crazy wave all the way down to the middle of his back. While at work he kept it in a braid and out of his face, but Lily had always suspected out of work, he would let it flow free and wild as rumor had it he was a very wild wild boy. Apparently he had a fascination for a type of muggle music called metal. George had been talking to her

"What is?" she repeated wanting to know why the topic had been werewolves.

"Daydreaming again I see? Are we really that boring Lily?" she raised and eyebrow and gave Lily one of her quirky smiles not allowing lily time to respond "It's a brand new potion, just recently discovered."

"And it involves werewolves?" she persisted

George nodded enthusiastically "Well my dear its all to do with them now isn't it. Rumor has it that if a werewolf were to take this potion on the night of his transformation before the moon were to strike his(or her) pathetic body…" he paused for a dramatic effect "then they would keep their wits about them when they transformed, be able to curl up in a little ball and sleep until morning." He laughed at Lily's gaping expression

"Is this potion at all dangerous?" her mind was working and clinking into place

"No one knows as it hasn't been tested yet…no werewolf has yet stepped forward and dare to take it. Now we don't feel that the werewolves are afraid of being hurt by it if something goes wrong. We feel that they are just afraid to identify themselves…and it's quite a pity as we have a sample for testing right here in this hospital.

Lily jumped "Where?"

"Third floor testing but- WAIT! LILY WHAT ARE YOU DOING? YOU'RE NOT A WEREWOLF!"

'No.' Lily thought to herself as she ran down the stairs to the third floor 'But a very important person is.'

Disclaimer: I own nothing that is the brilliance of JK Rowling.


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